Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT


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Brand and Model:Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
Price ($USD):$4795.00
Type:Apochromatic Refractor
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:127mm (5")
f Ratio:f/8
Focal Length:1040mm
Finder:None
Electric Power:n/a
Mount:None
Tripod:None
Weight (lbs):18 lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):36" long
Description:At last - an easy to use amateur telescope that can produce exquisite astrophotos with almost no effort and show excellent planetary images as well.

-Short tube length and light weight for easy portability
-Advanced optical design produces superb color correction
-Fast optics for deep-sky observing and astrophotography
-Field flattener available for 6x7cm photography

FEATURES OF THE OPTICS
-Very high corrections of spherical and chromatic aberrations
-Visual and photographic focus is identical, eliminating the need for light-absorbing filters
-Clear, colorfree glass types result in brighter, more contrasty images
-Stunning lunar/planetary and deep-sky views
-Ideal for 35mm and medium-format deep-sky astrophotography
-High-resolution optics are a good match for fine-grained Technical Pan emulsions.

FEATURES OF THE TUBE ASSEMBLY
-Felt-lined dewcap slides over cell for storage
-Fully baffled tube and focuser assures highest contrast
-Giant 2.7" focuser allows coverage of 6 x 7cm formats
-2" and 1.25" adapters with brass locking ring, 2.5" extension
-Beautifully machined parts and expertly finished in hard polyurethane paint or black anodized
-Aluminum lens cover to protect against dust
-Sturdy foam-padded carrying case


Company 7's 130mm Astrophysics Starfire Page

Vote Highlights Vote
Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
This is a great scope for doing CCD images with but, if you are into looking through the eyepiece, get a Starmaster or other large telescope of at least 10in. or more. I have been to many Starparties in my 20+ years in astronomy and the big scopes ALWAYS have the big line behind them. The larger the scope the more you will see in the eyepiece!

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:9 Mount:9 Ease of Use:4 Value:7
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=110557


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
last night had clear dark skies and temps around zero. set my small scope outside for about 15 minutes, had excellent views of saturn and jupiter. i think i spent an hour outside until the cold was getting to me, i was back inside and ready for the evening movie in no time at all. if all i had was a large dob i would not have had the time or will to set the thing up and wait for it to cool. i got quality viewing time in and enjoyed a nice evening with my wife. large scopes are great to look thru but be careful, after i got rid of a large dob and replaced it with a high quality APO my observing time increased dramatically. after a hard days work i prefer the easy use of a smaller scope, and i dont miss the big dob one bit. i get my share of views thru large scopes at star parties. this 5" AP is a great all around perfect size scope, not to big and not to small and absolutely awesome viewing.

Overall Rating: No Vote
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=55922


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
Just as the fool who continues to use this as a place to vent his frustration(or more likely envy), I have much experience comparing scopes. Many consider me a bit of an equipment junkie. The reason for that is my relentless pursuit of the "perfect scope". It does not exist. Certain scopes will excel at a few things, but never at all. Apos come the closest if you set cost aside. I have owned and used MANY scopes. Most SCT's stink at anything other than low to mid mag. Any compound will be limited by cooldown issues. I've also owned Dall-Kirkhams(2), achromatic refractors(7), Mak-Newts(4), SCT's(5), MCT's(4), and Newtonians(6). Nothing, including so called "top end" optics has ever matched the image quality delivered by top notch apos. If you think so fella, have your eyes checked. I can pick out more detail with a 130 EDFS than you can with an 8" Meade SCT. It will be dimmer, but at least it will be there.

Perhaps blobs and smudges ARE your idea of a quality image, so long as it's bright blobs and smudges. It won't be the first time I've heard one claim quality when the view is pure garbage. Don't leave out contrast either. Most apos can pick pout dark lanes better than inferior optics. In many mass produced scopes, the sky is gray for Pete's sake! You can attempt to dance around the effects of MTF. You can even argue against the effects of gravity if you wish. To this day there are those that claim the world if flat and mankind has never left the Earth.

Sure, most apos are aperture limited. They become very big and even more expensive in larger apertures. Bear this in mind....if everyone else claims superior image quality in apos, yet you say the only thing that matters is aperture; chances are you're wrong. If you still don't believe that, save your breath because most tend to ignore a crackpot after a while. If an apo does not fit your needs and/or budget, walk away!

As for the scope itself....(whew!), what an optical masterpiece! The absolute faintest stars visible present themselves at tiny specks of light. They are often more easily seen than with larger reflectors. The contrast between nebulosity and associated dark lanes presents a true picture of what most objects REALLY look like. Such contrast is often awash in stray or scattered light in lesser scopes. This scope will show you everything that is there to see in a scope of this size...nothing more, nothing less(literally).

Mark

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=432298


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
This scope is a 1998 130 f/6 StarFire EDFS. The 130 is a very impressive, capable of superior planetary and wide-field observing. Aperture and dimension combine to make an almost perfect scope. This is not really a travel scope - it's versatile and portable, but deserves a solid mount. That combination can't be stuffed into an overhead bin. Most people wait years for AP, or pay a premium for a used scope. Either way, precious few have an opportunity to have one of these great scopes. Owning one has been my good fortune.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=328384


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
This Telescope has the best optics i have ever seen. It is portable, sturdy and color free. The only downside is the price and the 4 year wait.

PH

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=315831


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
In my opinion, this is the finest all-around scope ever made. The optics are flawless, whether used for widefield or planetary views. The scope is small and light enough to set up easily on a GEM or LightSpeed Alt-Az. It cools quickly and is sufficiently short to handle well. You get the views of a fine 5" scope with the handling of a 4". This scope can be used with a binoviewer/diagonal - with or without 2" barlow.

Most of the other "reviews" here have nothing to do with this scope, but deal with the economics of large reflectors vs small APOs. You can sell your AP 130 f/6 for more than you paid; how can you have higher value than that?

There are lots of fine small refractors available to amateurs. This is the finest.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=157891

Yes, if you are a ferenghi, this scope is a 10. When you are a astronomer it's a 8 to 9..

>In my opinion, this is the finest all-around scope ever made.  The optics are flawless, whether used for widefield or planetary views. The scope is small and light enough to set up easily on a GEM or LightSpeed Alt-Az.  It cools quickly and is sufficiently short to handle well. You get the views of a fine 5" scope with the handling of a 4".  This scope can be used with a binoviewer/diagonal - with or without 2" barlow.
>
>Most of the other "reviews" here have nothing to do with this scope, but deal with the economics of large reflectors vs small APOs.  You can sell your AP 130 f/6 for more than you paid; how can you have higher value than that?
>
>There are lots of fine small refractors available to amateurs.  This is the finest.

Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
in response to the last comment, all things being equal aperture wins. but all things are rarely equal and i have yet to see a eight inch dob that gives better planetary images than this 5" AP. i am not saying that one does not exsist, they are out there, but they are rare. deep sky faint fuzzies are the targets of choice for large scopes, but for brighter targets i will take the APO. set up, cool down time, are all reasons i hate big scopes. i love the images they give but they always seem to become a reason not to go out and observe. and i hope you were not suggesting that the AP scopes are all hype. anyone who has spent time with any of the AP scopes knows that this is as good as it gets in the world of APO's, and oh how sweet it is.

Overall Rating: No Vote
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=55562


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
For it's aperture it's the best you can own for at any price. The Taks and TMBs are right there in quality, both mechanically and optically.
However, I now evaluate scopes based on price performance, not just on how well it performs by itself. All scopes are tested against others side by side against each other over many nights. A 5" Mac newt, was so close to this scope in image quality, it was nearly impossible to tell them apart, except under the superb sky conditions....and even then they were virtually tied. The AP did not win by much.
Against any larger scope...C8, C9.25, Meade 8 or 10", 8" Starsplitter Dob, EL11, EL12.5, and a 15" Dob...it lost by varying margins, on deep sky and on Planetary contrast and detail. Even under average seeing conditions.
Experience has taught me that hype doesn't give good images...good optics with aperture does. Atmospheric seeing does play a part with larger scopes...but not as much as is stated in the literature. Local seeing has a lot larger affect...(ex. Not allowing a reflector enough time to cool down to ambient temperature.) Also, collimation is crucial for good images.
Refractors are not better or even equal to reflectors dollar per dollar...not even close. Reflectors are far superior...sorry.... 5 Taks, 3 APs, and 3 Vixens later...I finally trusted the eyes of my friends and my own. Aperture is king. All the refractors are gone and now I have a lot of cash in the bank...and the best planetary images I've ever seen, through my 15" obsession, and my 8" Dob.

Overall Rating: 5
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:6
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=55327


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
Unit has performed flawlessly for visual and photographic use. Tom Back says it is an unbelievable value in astronomy. Thanks Roland!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=52986


Astro-Physics StarFire 130 f/6 EDT
Excellent contrast on both planets and deep-sky objects, and extremly pin point star images. No trace of false color.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37466

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